As a product manager to spoil a release in the final segment
Imagine that you, as a product manager, are making the perfect application. It is thought out, focused on a specific market segment. Innovation, big data, machine learning. And indeed it is. How can you screw up the release at the finish line. Instructions for non-use.
Your audience should be waiting for the product. If it is new, then this is a potential audience - innovators. If this is the next version, then the current customers. Without launching it on the market, no one will know about it. This stage includes such proven tools as articles in blogs and profile magazines, webinars and newsletters. Make it up with marketing in advance, and better start performing ahead of time. This seems obvious when a completely new product is released, but is easily forgotten when a new version is released.
Your technical support and consulting (if any) must know the new features. How do they work, what's new bear. And also how to solve problems and failures.
It is very important to prepare materials for sellers and partners, if you have them. Those same slides and whitepapers that will help them promote and sell.
The accounting process is such that it is impossible to just take and ship “Miracle Software 2.0”. You must have a catalog number (the term exists under different names: SKU, Part Number, Model ID, Material Number). It should be, with a corresponding price. If you have a small company, you can rotate the catalog update quickly. If the company is large, it can take up to several months.
This applies not only to the whole product, but also to combinations - bundles. For example, you have come up with a new subscription - update the number and price list.
I would also include here all aspects related to the statement of balance . This is more of an accounting part, but a product manager or product director is often involved at different stages.
Next come the nuances.
For example, do not make ECCN on time or specific certification for specialized software.
Do not notify your own IT team that you have to install a new version, in the case of cloud solutions.
All this may seem trivial and not worthy of a separate article. One day, at the wrong time, I remembered that the Model ID number of the new version should change. It cost me two months waiting for the update of all directories.
For safety it is enough to have a checklist (I recommend The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande . And the date in the project when you go to the finish line.
Do not make a launch plan
Your audience should be waiting for the product. If it is new, then this is a potential audience - innovators. If this is the next version, then the current customers. Without launching it on the market, no one will know about it. This stage includes such proven tools as articles in blogs and profile magazines, webinars and newsletters. Make it up with marketing in advance, and better start performing ahead of time. This seems obvious when a completely new product is released, but is easily forgotten when a new version is released.
Forget about knowledge transfer
Your technical support and consulting (if any) must know the new features. How do they work, what's new bear. And also how to solve problems and failures.
It is very important to prepare materials for sellers and partners, if you have them. Those same slides and whitepapers that will help them promote and sell.
For new products, forget to come up with a price in the price list.
The accounting process is such that it is impossible to just take and ship “Miracle Software 2.0”. You must have a catalog number (the term exists under different names: SKU, Part Number, Model ID, Material Number). It should be, with a corresponding price. If you have a small company, you can rotate the catalog update quickly. If the company is large, it can take up to several months.
This applies not only to the whole product, but also to combinations - bundles. For example, you have come up with a new subscription - update the number and price list.
I would also include here all aspects related to the statement of balance . This is more of an accounting part, but a product manager or product director is often involved at different stages.
Next come the nuances.
For example, do not make ECCN on time or specific certification for specialized software.
Do not notify your own IT team that you have to install a new version, in the case of cloud solutions.
All this may seem trivial and not worthy of a separate article. One day, at the wrong time, I remembered that the Model ID number of the new version should change. It cost me two months waiting for the update of all directories.
For safety it is enough to have a checklist (I recommend The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande . And the date in the project when you go to the finish line.